What timing chains are you guys running in your high horsepower smallblocks? We have taken apart three of our strokers this year to freshen up and the chains have had severe stretch! All three were true bullet roller timing chains. I know we put quality chains in, I believe they were Cloyes. Is anyone having better luck with a different brand?

Also we replaced one chain in my dads car with a Milodon gear drive. I heard switching to a gear drive costs horsepower? Is there any truth behind this? Any help would be appreciated.

Thanks, Mark

That's the way to go

Very sweet! But so is the price! Lol

Yes it is. If that would bin a chevy it would be 700

I run the KB gear drive in all of my race stuff..
I do have a chain with a tensioner in my 416 street
rod.. after the wear to get the edges of the chain
down on the rollers it seems to be working fine.. I
will find out when I see more than 500 miles on it

Mr. P u don't like the belt

that's what you get when you're a Mo-tard! .....and it's actually cheaper on Ebay! (not chevy cheap, but pocket change cheaper )

Lol Kool

I think if you checked most after a bit of use you might find most will give a little.

How much stretch are you talking?

Why toss "stroker" when the majority spin less or equal rpm vs other builds?

Just asking because it seems you just stumbeled on the reason people look for other options.

But ive ran rollmaster with a tensioner on all mine that stayed under 7500 and replace as/if needed.

Had the same problem with my BB chains went to this setup 3 seasons later their still good.
P/N are for BB but you should be able to find it in a small.
Summit part numbers
Race Billet True® Roller (9 Keyway) 9-3625TX9 _
Race Billet True® Roller (3 Keyway) 9-3625TX3 _

Here is a small block P/N CLO-9-3603X9

Not really a fan of them... way too pricey and you end up
replacing the belt after time... the gear drive has been
great for years now(one engine has 15 years on the gear
drive)
EDIT
The belt drive was good for 1 thing in my opinion..
that was to help control harmonics on the engine..
I havent seen it to be worried about it but I dont
build big power.. I just turn more RPM

Kool

Stutter boxes Kill chains
I know you did not mention having one but..if you do then chains are wearable item that needs replacement
Chain quality is not what it used to be either
soak chain in oil day or two before install--it helps

I know Stroker doesn't have to do with the stretch on our motors just stating they were stroker motors is all. My brothers .030 360 had the same chain same stretch in it. It's enough stretch that I think a guy could take a link out to make up for the difference. 3 seasons on a chain I know is plenty. Just was curious if anyone had better luck with other pieces.

We were looking at running a tensioner. You've had good luck running one then? Thanks, Mark

It's a chebby world! 🤑

Thanks I'll check that out👍🏻

No stutter boxes.

Mr P Body,

What KB gear drive are you running? I was on there website and they only list for big block applications. Did you buy your before they were discontinued?

Thanks, Mark

It was from MP... I ended up buying 3 of them over
time... I dont know if they quit making them or not

Thanks I'll look into it! I appreciate the help!

Its a single idler gear drive.. you might look elsewhere
for one.... if you want

Milodon sells a single idler gear drive for SBMs, P/N 13600.


http://www.milodon.com/gear-drives/gear-drive-ford-sb-chrys.asp

Looks much like the KB unit.. basically the same
mounting for the idler...I used a piece of paper to
get the idler clearance.. very simple.. they have been
on for years now

What are the options for chain tensioners? Is the MP piece the only one available? I thought I read it wasn't as good as the stock tensioners from the magnum motors?

If I recall the magnum one is the same.. I believe there was
another company making the tensioner also. but I forget the
name.. on a double roller chain it will wear quickly until the
rollers come into contact.. then it slows right down... that
tensioner was designed for the non roller chain like in the
production silent chain

I've had good results from pre-oiling the chain in synthetic gear oil for a day or two prior to install. It's such a small amount of oil that it hasn't had any bad effects that I can tell.

I use the same gear oil on my chainsaw chains, and it works WAY better, probably 2 or 3 times better than any other chain and bar lube I've ever tried. That's how I got the idea.

Some of those timing chains had stamping marks on the outer edge that would sometimes wear down the nylon on the tensioner prematurely, almost like saw teeth, the ones that have the smooth edges don't seem to do this, at least not nearly as bad, I have had the same Mopar tensioner on my engine now with 2 different chains and still good as new, I run the Mancini brand which at the time was a re-packaged Rollmaster made in Austrialia.